ICAN/ATEX: How can I get paraffin buildup off floors?

Many cleaning professionals visit the International Custodial Advisers Network (ICAN) Ask the Experts page for insight and, every business day, we deliver advice to better help you perform your job.

Friday’s Question:

Every quarter we scrub and recoat a histology dept.floor.

They did not want to pay for strip and refinish.

Their stations are caked with paraffin. I have used hot water in my floor machine tank with a degreaser with a black hi-pro pad.

We scrape as much as we can. Our labor is about double but we cannot get all of the paraffin off.

Any suggestions?

Has anyone had problems with these type stains and, if you have, can anything be done to remove them?

Friday’s Answer:

I can offer a few.

Avoid the degreaser since it will not dissolve the paraffin and reduces the friction generated by the black pad. And its high alkalinity may weaken your floor finish. Try a neutral cleaner for less mess.

Prepare the floor by scraping it with a tool that allows you to stand and work a large area fairly quickly.

A hair dryer will heat and loosen the paraffin, but the hot water applied … -Lynn E. Krafft, ICAN/ATEX editor.